Gone is Ash
by SweetyIFailed
Summary: Ash Dursley is adopted and finding her way through Hogwarts.
1. Chapter 1

"Huzzah, sister of mine!" Deron Dursley pounded his slender sister's back, giggling. He was only eight while the girl, Ash Dursley, was eleven. She tumbled onto the floor, amber eyes wide. Instead of falling face flat, her hands slapped the ground in a practiced gesture, stopping any odd bruising. "I forgot. You're not my sister, Ash. You're _adopted_. You were left here."

Ash held out her hands in front of her face while Deron readied his baton to slap her. Someone grabbed the baton from him at that moment and helped the girl up. "Deron, what did I say about hurting your sister?" A sharp, cold voice demanded. She was thin and mulish, like her mother-in-law while Dudley Dursley looked just like his father, the difference varying in their personalities. Their father stood beside his wife Tanya. He had his arms over his chest, frowning at their third youngest son. Their oldest son was Benjamin and in the ninth grade, Jane, their second oldest and eldest daughter was in the eighth grade. There was Jimmy in the seventh grade and Sheryl in the third grade. Deron and Ash were in between the four of them.

"It's okay Ash darling." Tanya murmured, picking up the young girl.

It was true; Ash had been left standing on their doorstep with a bundle of clothes in her arms and a pouch of euros. There was no letter and Dudley had a strong sense of deja vu. It was exactly how it had been with Harry, beside the fact that Ash had been nine. She also had her memory swiped from her. The two fathers had talked about Ash quietly in rooms without the girl in there. She showed signs of magic and Dudley didn't exactly want her there, yet he loved her as if she were his own child. Harry, sympathetic, said that she could stay with his family when the time came. They had made an agreement.

"We need to talk." Dudley said tersely, pulling Ash with him out of the room.

"Ha, ha! They're kicking you out!" Deron yelled, throwing a block at his father.

"Deron Dudley Junior Dursley!" Tanya screeched. "Go to your room this instant! When I come up there, you will tell me what you did wrong."

Deron murmured a cry and ran out of the room. They heard him stomp his way up the stairs and the slam to his bedroom.

In the dining room or the family conference room as the Dursley children called it, Dudley sat at the head of the table, head in his hands. "Ash, dear," he said softly.

"Why isn't mommy here?" Ash demanded to know.

"Because mommy doesn't know what Harry and I know." He cleared his throat.

Her uncle Harry stepped out of the shadows, smiling grimly at Ash. "Ash," he greeted, taking a seat beside Dudley on his left.

Ash tilted her head to the side, amber eyes wide. "Deron was right, wasn't he?" She whispered. "You're sending me away. You don't want me here." Tears tumbled out of her eyes. She rubbed them away angrily, glaring at both her uncle and father. "Send me to an orphanage then!" Ash held her head up high, arms folded over her chest.

Dudley didn't even look up. He just stared at the mahogany table, muttering to himself. Harry took charge, glancing at Ash. "You're a witch." He said slowly. "You know you are. Remember when you made the cards fly out of James's hands?"

A smile played on the little girl's face. She remembered that day. Her obnoxious cousin had taunted her, showing off his skills as a deck-master and she had glared at him angrily. The cards were knocked from his hands, flying into his face. Quickly, she remembered to frown from anger. "So?" She said with indifference.

Harry sighed, rubbing his forehead, his hand grazing across his scar. "Magical things happen to witches." He explained slowly. "With what had happened; your memory being wiped from you and no one knowing a thing about you, it's only reasonable that you are a witch. If you are a muggle-born, half-blood or pure-blood, I do not know."

"What is muggle, half and pure blood?" Ash asked, interest spiking inside her. The words were so... magical.

"Witch power from both sides, from one side and then having mundane parents." Harry explained patiently. "You have also gotten a letter from Hogwarts, the best school in all of England. It has accepted you, a school for witch and wizard alike, from the ages eleven to seventeen or eighteen. Of course, there are more wizarding schools, but the closest school always chooses the closest children in their wake. And one student for Hogwarts is you."

"Oh, I get it now." Ash nodded, understanding in her eyes. "There's me, an unknown background, witchery in my veins and I've been accepted." Realization hit her slowly. "So I _am_ a witch." Excitement bubbled inside her. "Then I can find my real parents?" Quickly, she faced Dudley. "Daddy, it's not meant to offend you but-"

Dudley nodded, smiling faintly. "I understand." He said quietly. Her father stood up. "Will you go with your uncle? He will get all of the items you shall need and take you to... Hogwarts."

Ash nodded eagerly as Harry handed her a thick parchment. She beamed as she read the letter. "Oh Daddy, I'm so happy!" Her eyes seemed to shine a more yellow color instead of red. She wrapped her arms around her pudgy father's neck, squeezing him with excitement. "Do I start packing now?" Dudley held onto her arm, nodding with a sigh.

"Thank you Harry," Dudley said, gratitude in both his eyes and tone.

Harry grinned. He would never be used to Dudley thanking him. "What are cousins for?" He asked in a light teasing tone.


	2. Chapter 2

Ash was delighted.

Not only was she a witch, but it also meant that she could be able to find out why her memory was swiped and who her parents were.

Her mother had cried as they said farewell and her father had been frowning, holding back tears. Her siblings were sobbing, be it soft cries or right out crying. Deron even apologized to Ash and gave her his baton. "Besides, mummy and daddy'll buy me a new one." He had whispered as he gave the baton to his sister. Ash had grin in reply, nodding in agreement.

That had happened only a few days ago. Now, she was at her uncle Harry and aunt Ginny's place, rooming with Lily, five years younger than she was. Lily was ecstatic with her cousin staying for her years at Hogwarts. She had hugged Ash over and over, squealing with excitement. "Now, we'll be together forever!" She had said repeatedly. Ash had laughed softly, the laugh never touching her eyes. In her heart, she had never believed in 'together forever'. It seemed to be the only memory she could remember, voices telling her that they would always be together forever.

"Well, today we go to Diagon Alley." Ginny said as she popped her head through Lily and Ash's door to their room. She smiled at the pair sweetly. Ash looked devastated as Lily clung onto her. "Lil let Ash go please."

Lily pouted, brown eyes bright and angry. "I don't wanna."

"Does Ash want you holding her all the time?" Ginny asked reasonably.

The six year old glared up at Ash and sighed, letting her go. "I wanna broom mummy." She said, taking her mother's hand.

"Sweetie, of course you can have a new broom." Ginny rolled her eyes at Ash who giggled. "Well, I'd recommend getting dressed and pretty for the day. Who knows, you might meet a boy you like today Ashy."

Ash grinned. "I'm eleven, not twenty-one."

Ginny whistled, ignoring the comment. She lifted Lily up in her arms and took her down the stairs, giggling and explaining to Lily about what she had meant.

Diagon Alley was crowded, full of witches and wizards and Gringotts was simply amazing in her eyes. There were goblins everywhere, no human in sight. James told her that their Uncle Bill worked there. They would be able to meet all of his other relatives in no time. He bubbled in excitement; Ash was living with them and she was the only decent one in the Dursley, even if she wasn't even blood-related; she was also going to be in the same year as him. He always knew she had magic in her.

Ash timidly peered inside the Potters' vault, eyes going wide at the amount of money inside of it. "You're rich." She whispered.

Harry patted her head absently, shrugging. "It's my parents who're rich Ash, not me."

Ginny snorted, holding Lily close. "Harry, you're so modest."

He grinned at his wife and bent down to peck her lips, getting a chorus of 'ew' in the process. After that, Harry grabbed a few bags of coins and led them back up to the top level, handing mundane coins to the goblins that exchanged it for wizarding coins. "These are for you. It's more than enough and these are your parents' money."

Ash stuffed the bag of coins in her jacket, eyes wide. It was the same weight as the pouch of coins she held when she was at the Dursleys'. "Which parents?" She asked softly, under her breath.

No one seemed to have heard. James was busy trying to capture a goblin's attention by tripping Albus, making him fall face flat on the floor in front of the goblin. Ginny and Harry were scolding them, Lily in between them and holding their hands. She was yawning as if the events happened too much.

"Okay, sorry, sorry Al." James sighed, hand out.

Albus took his hand and tugged down hard making James join him on the ground. The whole family was laughing and Ash with them. Finally, they trudged out of Gringotts and walked out to meet with the Weasley family.

"Is this Ash?" A tall, lanky redhead asked, bending down to Ash's height. "How's she related to Dursley if she's an Asian?" He asked, incredulity in his tone.

"By nice Fred," his mother, a dark-skinned woman, scolded him. She whacked his head with a shake of her head. "Hello Ash," she said with a small smile. "I'm Angelina Weasley."

Ash hesitated, then bowed her head, a habit of what she always did when she met someone new. "Good morning Aunt Angelina."

"Such nice manners." She murmured, glaring at her son.

He grinned. "What can I say? I'm still hyped over the fact that I'm fifteen and able to leave freely." He stretched and yawned. "Done here now, right mum?" Fred walked away without his mother's consent, waving his wand. "Just gimmie a call."

"Roxanne, you won't run off now, will you?" Angelina turned to her only daughter, a slight, tan girl with faint freckles and red hair, eyes a dark brown.

Her daughter lifted up her head from her book, shaking her head with a small smile. "Hello Ash," she murmured before facing her book again.

"This is your uncle Percy, aunt Audrey and their children Molly and Lucy." Ginny said, pointing at a curly redhead with horn-rimmed glasses. He stood beside a tall woman with light skin tones and two tall children as well. "Molly is the older one." Ginny added hastily.

Molly turned at her name and smiled down at Ash. "I'm starting my third year. Lucy's going to be joining Hogwarts when Albus and Rose is."

"Rose?" Ash asked, feeling timid. The Weasley family was big.

"Yeah, there's Rose and Hugo, your aunt and uncle Hermione and Ron," Ginny continued, pointing out people. They were a family of tall people also, besides their children. Hermione had curly brown hair that was tamed; Ron was tall, lanky and redheaded also. Their children had red hair and brown eyes. They smiled timidly at Ash. "Then there's Victoire, Dominique and Louis. Their parents are Fleur and Bill."

Victoire looked to be fourteen, Dominique was thirteen years old and Louis seemed to be twelve. They were all beautiful children like their parents. Fleur was tall, descending in a flow of long white hair and Bill was tall, red hair kept long and covering ugly scars on one side of his face. Their children had white hair like their mother, but their faces had brown eyes and freckles that didn't look out of place.

"Now we are done with introductions," Ginny said in a satisfied was a cough and Ginny whacked her forehead. "There's my mum and dad, Molly and Arthur, call them grandpa and grandma." She added hastily.

The grandparents were short, the grandmother plump and the grandfather with a goofy smile on his face. "Nice to meet you Ash." Her grandfather said, shaking her hand, eyes twinkling. "What's it like to live with muggles? Do you have a phone cell too?"

Ash tilted her head and dug her hand inside her pocket, pulling out a pink cell phone. "This, you mean?" She handed it to him. "It's called a cell-phone."

Her grandmother, Molly, grabbed the phone from his hand and handed it back to Ash. "Please, don't give him muggle toys." She sighed, towing her husband away. Ash stuffed the phone back in her pocket, confused.

No one tended to explain. They were splitting off in groups now. James grabbed Ash's hand and towed her toward Louis. "C'mon, let's go now." James said gruffly.

"Wait," Ginny yelled, her voice carrying to the members of Weasleys and Potters that were leaving her sight. "Albus, Lily, come back unless you don't have an adult with you." There were groans in reply. "Hugo, Rose, Lucy, back to your parents." She scolded. More groans and Ginny was satisfied, smiling. "Now, where's that Ted Lupin?"

"Did you call?" Ted Lupin supported long black dreadlocks, his eyes wide and blue.

Ginny made a strangled nose, falling against Harry who was laughing at Ted's appearance. Quickly, Ted grinning, his hair grew back in his head in loose waves, a deep dark brown, and his eyes a normal brown. "Sorry Ginny," he said pecking her cheek. "So who's this little girl?" He bent down to face Ash as Fred had done before.

"She's Ash Dursley." Harry said lightly.

Ted tilted his head to the side, frowning. "I've been to their place before Harry, don't kid with me. They're no Asians and she wasn't there." He straightened up, looking stumped.

Ash blushed, embarrassed. James's grip on her tightened. "'S okay, Ted can be a prick." He said quietly.

"Listen," Harry began, taking Ted aside.

"Be back in front of Gringotts in a few hours." Ginny called out to the retreating members.

Louis took hold of her free hand and they both towed Ash over to Madame Malkin's.


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own the Harry Potter series or any of the characters in this story aside from Ash. (I will add on more characters when there are more that I have made up.)

Madame Malkin was bustling around, ordering her to stop twitching. She was finished with her quickly, handing black robes to her and getting paid

At Ollivander's Wand Shop, not that the real Ollivander was there, she had gotten a wand, 11½ mahogany with a Unicorn tail. Ash also had gotten a white ghost owl, speckled with dark brown spots around his tail from Eeylops Owl Emporium. She named him Dundy. At Flourish and Blotts, James and Louis helped pull down books and hand it to her. She ended up hauling them around until they had gotten their cauldrons and ingredients for Potions class.

"It's this awful class," Louis was explaining while they walked toward Ilene Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. "This old guy Slughorn who should be retired is still working there." He snorted, which on him, didn't even make him near ugly. It only degraded him a little, but not a lot. Ash raised her eyebrows in surprise. James coughed.

"Oh, Slughorn sounds like a boring name anyways." Ash offered out, glancing at the ice cream parlor.

A boy their age bustled past them, shoving Ash out of his way, muttered his apology and dashed off, red-faced.

"Dad was here when Ilene's dad was here." James said, ignoring the recent event, walking toward the counter. It grew to their height so they could order. "Hey Ilene, this is Ash, my adopted cousin."

"You don't have to say _adopted_." Ash frowned at her cousin who shrugged.

Louis smiled apologetically at Ilene, a tall, middle-aged woman. "We'll have the usual and your special of the day for Ash."

Ilene laughed, tousling the boys' hair affectionately and tweaking Ash's nose. "Alright, three cones coming right up."

Their ice cream cones were stacked up high and twinkling in the sunlight. They thanked the woman and walked toward Gringotts Wizarding Bank where everyone else was waiting impatiently. There were frowns and murmurs at seeing the ice cream and heavy luggage each child had.

"Time for us to leave." Harry said, taking James and Ash aside. "We'll see you guys in September." He smiled at his best friends and family who murmured in agreement.

"Wait, I'm coming with you guys." Ted said quickly.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Of course you are. Where else would you go?" Her eyes averted on Ted who laughed, eyes on Victoire Weasley, the pretty long haired blond female.

"I'll see you later." Ted said, pulling Victoire to the side and in a small alleyway.

Ash tilted her head to the side, trying to see what the two were doing. "Isn't he family?" She asked.

"Yes, family, but he isn't related." Angelina replied, tousling Ash's hair. "Alright children, let's go." She faced Fred and Roxanne; hand on Fred's arm while George held onto Roxanne. They seemed to have disappeared.

They were at King's Cross station, having run through 9 ¾. It was a horrifying experience for Ash. She looked around wildly for her family while the others were kissing and hugging their parents and siblings farewell. Wouldn't her family see her off? She glanced at the wall where people came through, scanned the station to see no one familiar.

"They're not coming," Harry said quietly, hand resting on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Ash shrugged his hand off of her shoulder, giving him a tight smile. "It's alright uncle. I didn't really expect them to come see me off."

Harry smiled dully at her. The way she acted reminded him of his old self; the time he was all alone after Hagrid having had left him and he had watched the large Weasley family fussing over each other. He brought his arm around her like he would for Lily, pulling her close. "Listen, I want you to watch Louis and James for me. Roxanne, Fred and the others will be too busy for their own good. If you're in a different house, it'll be alright."

"Houses?" She asked, confused.

"There are four houses," he began quickly, smiling. "Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Ask James or someone else if you want a better explanation." He let her go and turned to grab James, murmuring in a low, warning tone to him. James only grinned. Underneath his cloak, Louis and Ash had hid all of the items they bought from their uncles' shop.

"It was nice meeting you," each parent said their farewells to her with the same line, patting her head or giving a gentle hug to her. The children still less than ten all hugged her tightly, complaining about not being able to go to Hogwarts now.

"Gryffindor are for the brave and courageous," James said, puffing out his chest.

"Hufflepuff are for the kind-hearted," Louis added. "No one really wants to land in that place."

"Then there's Ravenclaw for the smarties." James snorted. "Rose is probably going to end up there."

"Lastly, Slytherin," Louis wrinkled his nose in disgust. Again, Ash was astonished by the fact that no matter how Louis would make a face, he would always look handsome. "They're a bunch of pure-blood prats."

Ash giggled. "Pricks, now are they?"

Louis frowned, nodding. "They don't like me." A smile played on his lips. "Apparently because I'm too good-looking and all the girls fawn all over me."

Ash blushed at those words and James nudged her side, eyebrows raised in surprise. She looked away, shrugging and not replying to him. She couldn't crush on someone, she was eleven and didn't she tell Ginny that she wasn't twenty-one and not ready for a boy? She shoved the thought away, hand on James's sleeves.

"So I wouldn't want to be in Hufflepuff or Slytherin?" She asked.

"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin." James snorted.

"I'm not smart enough, so I won't be in Ravenclaw," Ash said thoughtfully with a frown. She tapped her chin, leaning against the seat.

"Are you even considering Gryffindor?" Louis asked, incredulity in his tone.

Ash shrugged. "I'm neither brave nor courageous." She announced. "I'm a frightened little girl with over half of her memory gone from her."

James patted her shoulder.

The rest of the ride was quick with little chatter about what would happen if one of them were lost in Hogwarts. Soon, other members of the family were filing inside their compartment, chattering and laughing with them. Ash got lost in the words, forgetting about their earlier conversation.

"This way, this way," a loud voice called out. The voice belonged to short, pudgy woman with blond, awry hair and piercing green eyes. "First years, this way!" When first years crowded around her, she said, "I am Titania Yeller, your Flying teacher." She gestured for them to follow her. "We arrive in boats and then you get sorted." She informed them. "When we get there, you will be in alphabetical order so it will be quicker. No shoving allowed." Her eyes peered at their faces, a warning in them.

They were rowing the boats across the lake with difficulty, James's cheeks puffing out. "So, what, did, dad say, to you?" He asked between each breath.

"Uncle Harry," she paused, wiping a hand across her forehead. There boat didn't even need rowing. She frowned at James who was grinning and winking at her. He had pretended, making Ash row the boat with all of her strength. "Y-you prick," Ash hissed, still regaining her breath. When she did, she shook her head, laughing. "I'll get back at you." She warned.

"Uncle Harry told me to watch over you and Louis."

At the surprised look on James's face, Ash grinned, knowing she now had the upper hand.

"I wouldn'ta done anything bad even if you weren't here." He frowned.

Ash shrugged, patting his head sympathetically.

Inside Hogwarts, they were in a single file line, Ash in the near front, James way behind. She pouted, the only time she remembered she had ever even pouted. Ash glanced down the line to see James chattering to people. Why couldn't she be like him and make friends easy? She sighed, following the people who walked ahead of her.

"Ader, Jon." A voice called out.

Jon Ader stepped up. The hat barely touched his head when it yelled out, "Hufflepuff!"

A table to their left applauded, whooping. Jon walked toward them, ears a bright red.

More names were called out and finally, "Dursley, Ash."

Ash cringed, hearing a few boos. Earlier, her cousins had told her that someone got information on the fact that Harry had lived with the Dursley family, crude people who didn't near like him. She shuffled toward the front and sat on the stool before setting the hat on. It fell over half of her face and whispered in her mind, "So, you don't know which house you'd like to be in, eh?"

"No, I don't." Ash murmured in reply.

"You definitely won't be in Ravenclaw." The hat chuckled.

"I knew that already." Ash replied.

"Hufflepuff," the hat roared.

Jon Ader, the only other Hufflepuff so far was jumping up and down, yelling in excitement. She caught Louis and James's eyes, wiping at her eyes. Always, always, she would be separated. She took a seat next to Jon Ader and smiled timidly. "You don't care that I'm a Dursley?"

"Of course not." A Hufflepuff on her right said. "I heard that Harry Potter caught a pair of wizards who threatened against the Dursley family. He cares about them. It won't matter. Bunch of prisses people are," she grinned. "I'm Malaria Jordan by the way. My dad's co-owner of the Weasley shop in Diagon Alley and branch of Hogsmeade."

"Hello," she greeted Malorie timidly.

"You'll be able to see your cousins eventually also." She added, continuing on until someone shushed her. She smiled sheepishly at Ash. "I'll talk more about Hogwarts later."

Jon was standing up and cheering again. He wasn't as shy as she had thought.


End file.
